Art Histories #5 (Treasure Seekers)

Six works by Caitlin Griffiths, all of which are responsive to the minute books from the archives found at Margaret Street School of Art, in addition to the work of artist David Miller the first in this duo of shows. Griffiths interprets and analyses the hand written text of Miller and the anonymous minute takers from 1821-28, 1871 and 1921-22. From this analysis she responds in the form of short stories, her process begins with researching the style of the handwriting through graphological methods. She then creates stories triggered from certain character traits found within the analysis, the pseudoscience of graphology becoming a fictional fact for Griffiths to reinterpret.

In addition to the series of stories, a technique found frequently throughout Griffiths work, she has for the first time developed a series of illustrations. These once again take aspects of the hand written minutes books, making something that represents a cohesive reference into something graphic and illegible. By removing the ease of reading clearly written minute notes into something illustrative, these images act as another extension of Griffiths’ philosophy of identity, titles and role; a central concept within her practice of taking someone else’s memory and making it her own.